The Serpent and the Sharp-tongue
by BeeSaysHey
Summary: "Can I kiss you, Ravenclaw?" He seemed to completely ignore her comment, as if he'd never even heard her. "I don't know," she whispered, the smile on her face widening, "can you?" she asked. She hadn't taken a second thought before she put her hands on his shoulders and stood up on her toes to kiss him. "Is that a good enough answer?"


The castles' halls were illuminated with the flickering lamplight and the moonlight shining in through the windows. Both students and professors alike were readying themselves for bed, not many still in the corridors. Of course, most of the students were not fans of the new policies at Hogwarts. Death Eaters were in control of the school- the classes and the discipline. They didn't like to be crossed.

Rules had never stopped some students before, so some still took the risk to wander about after curfew. In the castle's lower halls, it was silent except for the sound of a single pair of footsteps. Draco Malfoy had no concern for the supposed chaos at Hogwarts. He was a Death Eater, after all, and he had no fear of breaking the new castle rules.

His hands in his pockets and his fair hair out of his face, he continued down the corridor. To be truthful, Draco hadn't been sleeping well the last few nights. He tossed and turned, images of death and destruction filling his dreams. He figured going for a walk might tire him out.

The young Slytherin wasn't the only student wandering about the halls, though. Ardeth Burke's eyes flickered around the corridor she was walking down. She was antsy, on edge, which was really no surprise. Even during the daytime, she was jumpy and nervous due to the recent change of staff at Hogwarts. Despite the fact that she was pureblood, meaning there was no real reason to be afraid, she did associate with some unsavory people, as they call half-bloods and muggleborns. The Ravenclaw had wandered the halls late at night in previous years, when there were things to be thought about or needed to be worked out. Of course, to have gone walking out tonight, she was wondering where her sanity had gone.

Arriving at a split in the hallway, she immediately was alerted to the sounds of footsteps coming from both directions. Quickly, she pulled herself as close to the wall as she could, praying she wouldn't be noticed.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a set of student robes walking by her. She reached out, grabbing their arm, pulling them into the side hallway she was currently in. "I think that one of the Carrows is r-" Her voice caught in her throat and she immediately let go of the boy's arm.

"Sorry, I didn't- I. Sorry, you probably wouldn't even care if anyone saw you." Ardeth turned her gaze to the ground. The one time she tries to help somebody, it ends up being the Death Eater's golden boy: none other than Draco Malfoy himself.

Draco turned cautiously, having noticed that the hand seemed too small to be of someone to be feared. Sure enough, it was just another student with him. A snide smile spread across his face. "What, a Gryffindor, are you? Trying to be like everyone else in your house and play the hero?"

Ardeth had to cough back a laugh. As obnoxious and confident Gryffindors were, nowadays most had the common sense to not step too far out of line. Which, of course, wandering the halls was. After tripping over her words, she demurred "Ravenclaw, actually."

"Oh?" he said tonelessly, sounding neither pleased nor disappointed. Just as she had always seen him as, he was emotionless, which she figured what was made him such a Death Eater recruit. "And what," he removed his arm from her grip with one swift movement. "Brings an innocent little Pureblood like yourself out on a night like this?" For a moment, his speech paused. "Not too smart for a Ravenclaw, are you then?"

Something about Draco Malfoy unnerved her- his impassive façade, his somewhat know-it-all-ness, and, no surprise here, him being a death eater. She stared up at him, crossing her arms across her chest. "Obviously I'm not so innocent if I'm out here, am I?" she smirked, taking a step closer. "And, for you to add to your vast wealth of information, I'm one of the top of my year, thank you very much," Ardeth hissed, a scowl crossing her face. "How do you know I'm a pureblood anyways? The registration? I bet you don't even know my name."

"A muggleborn wouldn't be dumb enough to wander the halls past curfew. Only purebloods, with little chance of getting in trouble, or a dim-witted halfblood with something to gain." A grin spread across his face. She was interesting, not as pathetic as he'd originally thought. The girl was brave, if that was the word for being careless with her words. "Forgive my memory, you're right. I haven't the slightest idea as to who you are, but surely you must know who I am? I've become quite the name these days."

"I'm Ardeth Burke." She stated quickly, pursing her lips. Raising an eyebrow, she couldn't help herself when she said "You're that Longbottom fellow, aren't you? No, that's not it." There was a momentary pause. "Sorry, nothing's coming to mind. Could you introduce yourself?"

His face darkened, yet a small smile revealed that he'd appreciated her humor. "You're funny, Ardeth." Suddenly, he seemed entirely genuine, his young face looking tired and worn. "It's a very pleasant change of pace." He stopped talking for a few moment, before giving a curt nod of appreciation. "Thank you for that."

For a moment, she didn't have anything to say which was a surprise. According to most of her friends, she needed a filter. Her comments had gotten her in trouble before but she couldn't seem to control it. Oh well. "I do know who you are, if you didn't catch my sarcasm," she finally spoke, smiling slightly. "You're Draco Malfoy. Slytherin, seventh year."

"The betrayer, and living filth of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry," his voice was dry, and just as empty as it had always been. "Correct." His lips twitched into a small smile, while her own fell. "I- I wouldn't have described you as that, but if you think that of yourself," she shrugged, "And of course I'm correct. I am a Ravenclaw, after all."

"Oh? And how would you describe me?" he began to close the distance between the pair, coming to a leering halt in front of her- closer than they had been all night. He smelled of mint and something metal, something, dare she think it, dangerously close to blood. Draco Malfoy was getting into her head and they both knew it. Considering taking a step back, she couldn't help but be surprised by the soft glint in her eyes.

"You… you're obnoxious and act like you know it all. But, at the same time, you seem so out of touch with everyone else, like you don't care," she said softly, breaking eye contact with him. "You just want people to think you're so in control, though. You want to intimidate them." She took a deep breath, once again smelling mint and blood. Her amber eyes finally met his own silver-grey ones, and she silently told herself she wouldn't be the first to look away.

"And why," his voice became an almost imperceptible whisper, "do you think that I want to intimidate people?" He wasn't going to break eye contact, either. He was rather enjoying the light and emotion in her eyes, something he had not seen from anyone in far too long. He was much too accustomed to seeing darkness, madness and anger. It had been almost years since seeing such life in someone else's eyes. Or even his own, for that matter. "I don't want to intimidate people. I need to. Why do you think that is, Ravenclaw?"

"Because," she said, her voice strong and determinate, "If you didn't, they would be intimidating you. You' d be the one not making eye contact as you pass them, you'd be the one avoiding small talk." She bit her lip, not knowing how the boy in front of her would react. His mood seemed so volatile- he went from stern to amused in a matter of seconds. "And I thought I told you that my name was Ardeth, not Ravenclaw. Didn't I, Slytherin? Or do you prefer 'Snake'?"

"Can I kiss you, Ravenclaw?" He seemed to completely ignore her comment, as if he'd never even heard her. Addicted to the happiness in her eyes, his hands reached for her waist, but he faltered. For once, he didn't know how someone was going to respond. Ardeth confounded him- she was so blunt and honest, but at the same time jovial and high-spirited.

"I don't know," she whispered, the smile on her face widening, "can you?" she asked. She hadn't taken a second thought before she put her hands on his shoulders and stood up on her toes to kiss him. "Is that a good enough answer?" she teased, breaking away from the kiss.

She supposed her answer was when he pulled her closer to him- their bodies now flush against one another's. His rough hands cupped her face as their lips met again. Her lips are soft and he could taste peppermint on her breath. For a split second, there was no one but them.

But then someone coughed and the pair quickly broke apart. Draco's normally pale face was flushed and Ardeth knew that her own was most likely bright pink. "As much as I support pureblood relations, this is hardly the time or place for it," said the female Carrow, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You can continue your little affair tomorrow, maybe when it is an appropriate time. Goodnight Mr. Malfoy, Miss Burke."

They watched as she walked down the corridor and, when she was out of sight, they turned to face each other again. Ardeth let out a short laugh before smiling again. "I guess that means I'll be seeing you, Ravenclaw," said Draco, leaning down to kiss her once more. "Sweet dreams."

For the first time in her life, Ardeth was speechless.

* * *

**A one shot, maybe? I haven't quite decided. I do know where it _could _end up going, but I don't know if I'll write more of Draco and Ardeth. **

**Oh, well. What do you think?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter**


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